Rotary expansible chamber pump



May 17, 1949. A. H. WINKLER ET'AL 2,470,670

ROTARY EXPANSIBLE CHAMBER PUIIP Filed July 28, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1lNVE/WURS /J 4 ATTORNEY y 17, 9 A. H. WINKLER ETAL 2,470,670

ROTARY BXPANSIBLE CHAIBER PUIP Filed Jun} 28. 1944 a Shoots-Shoot 3 g/lfluvzumzs ALBERT hi MAI/n5? HEM/L 0. MRTH Arwms Patented May 17, 1949UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,479,670 ROTARY EXPANSIBLE CHAMBER PUMPAlbert II. Winkler and Emil 0. Wirth, South Bend, Ind., assignors toBendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind-,1. corporation of DelawareApplication July as, 1944, Serial No. 547,056

4 Claims. (email-154) This invention relates generally to pumps and moreparticularly to air pumps generally known as superchargers.

While the invention is shown and described as combustion engines havebeen heretofore pro-" posed, such superchargers being ordinarily ofeither the positive. type or the centrifugal type, both of which haveinherent objectionable characteristics. The centrifugal type generallydelivers large volumes and pressures at its rated speed and is morecompact and lighter than the positive type, but will not deliversuilicient pressure at speeds below its rated speed. n the other hand ina positive type of supercharger the pressure curve characteristic isusually low at low speeds due to leakage. Moreover, mechanicallimitations make this type impractical for operation at very highspeeds, hence it is larger and heavier than the centrifugal typedesigned for specific deliveryconditions.

In internal combustion engines for motor vehicles, it is generally notnecessary or desirable to continuously supercharge the engine becausethe amount of power normally developed by the engine will sufllce underordinary operating conditions although in some installations for suchvehicles the supercharging pump or blower is continuously driven by theengine and power which would otherwise be available for useful work isneedlessly consumed. In order to avoid the needless consumption of powerby the supercharger when supercharging of the engine is not necessary,it has been proposed to drive the supercharger through a variable speedcoupling or transmission so that at such times as supercharging is notnecessary, the supercharger may be operably disconnected from its sourceof power, 1. e. the engine. However, such coupling or transmissionarrangements are relatively complicated and require complicated speedcontrols.

It is therefore, an object of the present invention to overcome theforegoing undesirable features of previous devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwherein said device is connected with the engine at all times but inwhich the discharge of fluid may be varied or adjusted as desired fromzero to maximum, and

when adjusted so as to provide no discharge, but little power will berequired to operate it.

As far as we are aware present variable displacement superchargersapproach zero clearance volume at one given displacement per revolutionsetting so that at all other settings there is not a complete clearanceor exhaustion of said chamber and a certain amount of compressed air iscarried over and lost to use when the pumping member begins its intakestroke. Thus the pump efflciency is substantially lower.

It is therefore another object ofthe present invention to provide avariable displacement pump wherein the pumping member will, in thecourse of its cycle, approach zero clearance volume before opening thebreathing compartment to the inlet port at all the various displacementsettings so that there is substantially a complete clearance orexhaustion of said chamber at the end of each discharge cycle and thereis substantially no carryover of fluid, compressed or otherwise. Thusthe overall operating emciency of the device is extremely high.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of thischaracter wherein under various operating conditions the adiabatic typeof coinression is secured.

Other features of the invention reside in the provision of pumpingmembers pivoted on a rotatable support or rotor within the pump casingor stator, the pumping members being actuated so as to draw fluid in anddischarge it from the stator. The pumping members are connected to ananchor which rotates at the same speed as the rotor, the axis of saidanchor being shiftable relative to the axis of said rotor and thedistance the axis of the anchor is spaced from the axis of the supportdetermines the extent of the movement or stroke of the pumping members.When the axis of the anchor is coincident with the axis of the rotor,the pumping members have substantially no effective stroke and thefurther the axis of the anchor is moved from the rotor axis the greaterwill be the strike of the pumping members.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are furthersufiiciently referred to in connection with the following detaileddescription of the accompanying drawings, which represent a preferredembodiment thereof. After considering these examples, skilled personswill understand that many variations may be made therein withoutdeparting from the principles disclosed; and we contemplate theemployment of any structures, arrangements, or modes of operation thatare properly appended claims. a

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical schematic section taken on line I -I of Figure 3with the device adjusted for zero discharge;

Figure 2 is a similar view with the device adjusted for substantiallymaximum output;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 of Fi ure 1;

Figure 4 is a view of the rear of the device; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the gear arrangement.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is illustrated as including astator or casing, indicated generally at I0, having an inlet I2 and anoutlet I4. If desired an air filter, not shown, may be attached to theinlet. The outlet is provided with a flange I6 for attachment to theinlet of a carburetor, indicated generally at I8, or to any other deviceto be provided with fluid under pump pressure. While the device is shownas being attached to the carburetor inlet it is to be understood that itmay be interor posed between the carburetor and the intake manifold ofthe engine or otherwise, or if the pump is to be used for other purposesit may be connected with the fluid line in any manner which will producethe desired results. The casing or stator includes oppositely disposedarcuate portions 20 forming cylindrical wall portions of a chamber 22within which is a rotatable disc or rotor 24. The rotor 24 is providedwith an annular flange 26 extending outwardly thereof with respect tothe chamber 22'. The flange 26 is mounted on bearings 28 supported by anannular flange 30 integral with, and extending laterally of, a plate 32which is secured by screws 34 to an annular extension 36 of the casingor stator I0. The extension 36 and plate 32- provides an enclosure whichis divided by the flange 30 into chambers 38 and 40. The rotor 24 isprovided with a large central opening 42 about which is a flange 44which extends into the chamber 40 and to the free end of which a ringgear 46 is secured by screws 48. The ring gear 461s provided withexternal teeth which mesh with a gear 50 rotatable on a reduced endportion 52 of a shaft 54 in chamber 40, said shaft 54 being fixed to aportion 56 of the plate 32 by means of a nut 58 on a threaded reduceddiameter portion 60 of said shaft 54. Bearings 62 may be providedbetween the gear 50 and the portion 52 for reducing the friction betweenthese parts and the bearings may be secured in position by any suitablemeans such as a nut 64 at one end of portion 52 and a Washer 53 at theother end of said portion bearing against the adjacent shoulder of shaft54. If desired, a sleever 55 may be provided between the bearings tospace same apart. A member is pivoted on the shaft 54 and ,the free endof said member I0 is adapted to rotatably support a shaft I2. said shaftbeing rotatable in bearings I4 received in a bore I6 of said member 10.The bearings 14 are spaced apart by a sleeve I8 which may be pressfitted into the bore 16 or otherwise secured therein. Any suitable meansmay be provided for preventing longitudinal displacement of the shaft12. As shown, said means comprises a nut 80 on a reduced threaded endportion 82 of shaft 12, there being a washer 84 interposed between saidnut. and a shoulder of shaft 12 against within the scope of the 4 whichsaid washer abuts. The opposite end of the shaft I2 is enlarged as at 86thus providing a bearing retaining shoulder adjacent the inner bearingI4. A gear is secured by a pin 82 to an enlarged portion 86 of shaft 12and is meshed with the gear 60, the gear 80 bein of substantially thesame size as gear 46 and is provided with the same number of teeth sothat both gears will rotate at the same speed, the purpose of thisarrangement being hereinafter described.

An enlarged end portion 84 of shaft 12 extends through the opening 42 inthe rotor 24 and into the chamber 22 of the stator. as best shown inFigure 3. The portion 84 of the shaft is provided with a threaded,reduced, diameter portion 96 on which is disposed an anchor plate ordisc 88 held in position by a nut I00 screwed onto the reduced diameterportion 96 there bein a shoulder on the portion 94 of the shaft 12against which the plate 98 is held by the nut I00. A plurality ofconnecting rods I02 are pivotally connected at I04 to the anchor plate98 and extend tangentially of said plate, the outer ends of said rodsI02 being pivotally connected at I06 to respective pumping members I08.The pumping members I08 are arcuate in shape and the respective pumpingmembers are pivoted adjacent one end, as indicated at IIO, to the rotor24. The curvature of the outer faces of members I08 is the same as thatof the periphery of the rotor 24 and said members are circumferentiallyspaced apart, there being contoured partitions H2 secured to the rotor24 and spaced circumferentially apart relative to said rotor andextending longitudinally in the chamber 22. The pivoted ends of thepumping members I08 include a curved portion adapted to closely fit intosimilarly curved notches I I4 of the partitions I I2. The faces II6 ofthe partitions adjacent the free ends of the members I08 are curved onan arc parallel to the are described by the said free ends of themembers I08, said faces II6 being closely adjacent to the free ends ofsaid members I08. It is to be understood, of course, that the variousparts of the device are fitted closely enough to effect properfunctioning without undue losses.

The device is adapted to be operated by means of a shaft I20 rotatableon bearings I22 in a bearing support I24 formed integral with plate 32and extending into chamber 38. The shaft I20 carries a pulley I26 whichis secured thereto by any suitable means, there being a belt I28 whichprovides an operating connection between the pulley I26 and flange 26,the shaft I20 being attached to any suitable rotating part of the engineor to any other suitable source of power, and rotation of the flange 26effects rotation of the rotor and anchor plate 88, due to thearrangement of gears 46, 50 and 80. It is to be understood, of course,that other means for driving the device may be employed. For example,the gear 50 may be fixed to shaft 54 which may be rotatable andconnected to a source 01' power.

Adjustment of the output of the device is infinitely variable between aminimum and a maximum value depending upon the relationship between theaxis of the plate or disc 98 relativoj to the axis of the rotor. Whensaid plate or disc and rotor are in coaxial relationship, as shown inFigure 1, the stroke of the pumping members is substantially zero andthere is substantially no pumping of fluid by the device. However, whenthe axis of the plate or disc is offset the maximum amount permitted bystruc- I tural limitations of the device the maxim stroke of the pumpingmembers is obtained and results in maximum output. as will be more fullydescribed hereinafter.

The adjustment between minimum to maximum stroke and output isinfinitely variable and is effected, in the arrangement as shown, by alever III secured to the member I! by means of screws I32. If desired,means for retaining the lever III in various positions of adjustment maybe provided. which means may comprise a friction device indicatedgenerally at I which includes a body portion Ill having a reduceddiameter portion Ill received through an opening in the lever Ill andsecured therein by a nut Ill. The end of the body I adjacent the plate32 is spaced from said plate and is provided with an axial opening inwhich a plunger M is slidably received. The outer end of the Plunger isadapted to frictionally engage an arcuate boss I42, integral with theplate 32, and said plunger is provided with a head I against which aspring I reacts to urge the plunger against said boss I. The end of thespring opposite the head I42 reacts against the adjacent end of anadjustment screw I whereby the tension'of said spring may be varied.

Should it be desired to control the device from a remote point, lever I"may be connected with suitable manual or automatic control means, whichconnection may include a rod I49, and the means I" for retaining thelever. III in adjusted positions may or may not be used, depending uponthe installation.

Referring now to Figure 1 wherein the device is shown as. adjusted forminimum, or zero stroke and output, gears I. and II are arrangedcoaxially. As the motor 24 and disc 80 rotate at the same speed and on acommon axis, no pumping movement is imparted to the pumping members I",the outer surfaces of which are substantially concentric with theperiphery of the rotor.

In Figure 2 the device is shown as being adiusted for maximum output,the axis of gear ll being offset relative to the axis of gear 48. Now,as the rotor 24 and the disc to rotate (the direction of rotationbeingindicated by arrows III) the respective pumping members III will beprogressively swung inwardly on their intake stroke as they approach theinlet l2 and as the pumping chambers, indicated generally at I I2,coinmunicate with said inlet fluid will be drawn into said chambers; Therespective pumping members reach their maximum inward movement as therespective chambers I52 pass out of communication with said inlet [2 sothat said chambers are fully fllled with fluid. After the pumpingmembers reach the end of their intake movement they begin to moveoutwardly for discharging fluid from the respective chambers I52 whenthe latter communicate with the outlet I4 and said pumping members andreach their outward limit of movement as the free ends thereof rotatepast the outlet It. When the pumping members move outwardly air may becompressed in the chambers in at least until said chambers come intocommunication with the outlet M and it is to be noted that when thepumping members are at their outward limit of movement their outersurfaces are concentric with the periphery of the rotor.

While but two positions of stroke adjustment of the pumping members areshown the axis of the gear it may be swung to an infinite number ofintermediate positions between the minimum and maximum positions forvarying the output of the pump and it is to be noted that, regardless ofthe position of the axis of gear ll relative to the axis of the rotor,the outer surfaces of the pumping members, when at their outward limitof movement, are always substantially concentric with the periphery ofthe rotor. Thus there is a complete exhaustion of the respective pumpingchambers at the end of each discharge stroke of the respective pumpingmembers and therefore there is no carryover of air in said chambers andtherefore no loss of emciency of the device from this source.

In Figure 5 the arrangement of the gears It, SI and It is showndiagrammatically. The axes A and B respectively of the gears 48 and 50are spaced apart substantially the same distance as the axes B and Crespectively of the gears II and 00 and the axis 0 of gear so is adaptedto swing on an arc A--C the radius of which is equal to the combinedradii of gears 50 and 80.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be readily under- I central opening therein; means for mountingsaid rotor for rotation within the casing; a gear secured to the rotorand having a common axis therewith; inwardly extending circumferentiallyspaced partitions on the rotor; pumping members disposed between thepartitions; means pivoting the respective pumping members adjacent oneend thereof, the pivoted ends of said members being disposed adjacentrespective partitions and the free ends of said members being adapted toswing on their respective axes through an are substantially parallelwith one face of the respective partitions, the .pumping members andpartitions being adapted to define pumping chambers; a shaft. extendinginto the casing through the opening in the rotor; a member in the casingsecured to said shaft; means connecting the member with the respectivepumping members; a gear secured to said shaft; means for rotating thegears at the same speed; and infinitely variable adjusting means forvarying the position of the shaft from coaxial association relative tothe rotor to an offset position relative to the axis of said rotor; themechanism being so constructed and arranged that the pumping members maybe moved inwardly in respect to the center of the rotor when adjacentthe inlet and outwardly when adjacent the outlet.

2. In a rotary pump, a casing defining an annular chamber provided withintake and discharge ports, a rotor mounted in said chamber and having aseries of annularly spaced partitions and movable pumping memberscoacting with said partitions, a shaft extending axially of the rotor,means connecting said shaft with said members, means for driving therotor, and means 15 providing a driving connection between the rotorwav'1 and said shaft including a first gear connected to said rotor, asecond gear connected to said shaft and being of the same eirectivediameter as said first gear, a third gear meshing with said first andsecond gears, means mounting said third gear at a fixed radius withrespect to said shaft, and

means for adjusting said shaft from a coaxial position with respect tosaid rotor to an oflset position relative to the axis of the rotor tothereby adjust the effective pumping stroke of said members.

3. In a rotary pump, a casing defining an annular rotor chamber providedwith intake and discharge ports, a rotor mounted in said chamber andprovided with a series of annularly spaced partitions and oscillatablepumping members coacting with said partitions, a shaft extending axiallyof the rotor, a means secured on said shaft and provided with a seriesof arms pivotaily connecting said means to said members, means fordriving said rotor, and means providing a driving connection betweensaid rotor and shaft including a first gear secured to said rotor, asecond gear secured to said shaft and being of substantially. the sameeflective diameter as said first gear, a third gear in mesh with saidfirst and second gears, means mounting said third gear at a fixed radialposition with respect to said shaft,

and means for adjusting said shaft and second gear arcuately about saidthird gear tothereby adjustv the position of the shaft from a coaxialminimum-capacity pumping position with respect to the said rotor to anoffset maximum-capacity putlziping position with respect to the axis ofsaid ro r.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein said adjusting meansincludes a lever connected to said shaft and means are provided forfrictionally maintaining said lever in a predetermined adjustedposition.

ALBERT H. WINKLER. EMJL 0. WIRTH.

REFERENCES crrup The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,516,053 Morgan Nov. 18, 19241,652,317 Morgan Dec. 13, 1927 2,362,541 De Lancey Nov. 14, 19-14FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 427,988 France June 10, 1911

